Christmas

A Navajo woman with her sheep circa 1920 credit photograph by william pennington western history genealogy dept denver public library via library of congress

‘Tis the season when we celebrate the Advent of the Good Shepherd. He was born into lowly conditions among people who had nothing according to our worldly standards. Recall how Mary and Joseph remained outside with the livestock as they awaited the first and greatest Gift of Christmas. Remember as well the shepherds outside in the fields who made haste to go “see this thing that has happened” (Lk 2:10).

Fast forward two millennia. According to predictions, Americans will individually spend nearly $800 dollars on Christmas gifts this year. On the eve of Black Friday, scores of people will literally camp out in front of stores anxiously waiting to get the best deals on the latest and greatest the market has to offer. They are striving and persevering to get someone the best gift. That’s determination.

In light of the reality of Christmas, how determined are we to get that Gift to others? Is our zeal to the spread the free gift of eternal life greater than the materialistic impulses that dominate this season? (Find comfort, as long as you keep repeating to yourself, “Jesus is the Reason for the Season,” while you rack up credit card debt, you are not a materialist.)

We are earnestly striving to fulfill the Great Commission in Native America as we look to the Second Advent. We want to bring lost sheep to the Shepherd by training future Native shepherds at the Mokahum Ministry Center. We are praying for a support-team who shares our determination to see Jesus glorified among Native American/First Nations peoples. Is that you? Will you persevere with us?

The great news is that you don’t have to camp out in front of our house to be a part of what we are doing. Just give us a call. Text us. Email us. Skype with us. Go online to MTW.org. Go to our Contact Us page for more information. Let’s talk. Let’s get together.

It was eighteen years ago when I got the news from my auntie that her little brother, my uncle Allan, was found in dead in a hotel room. He was just at her house on Christmas day. But by the next day, he was gone. He took his own life. Rather than opening the Gideon’s Bible, he took his guidance from a book from the Hemlock Society. I don’t know the statistics on suicide rates on the day after Christmas, but in my broken family, that number is too high.

I haven’t interviewed anyone else in my family, but I, for one, continually thought of suicide from the age of sixteen to twenty years old. I hated myself and nearly everyone else as well. I wanted to live, but saw no good reason to keep trying to reach for something that I could never grasp. It seemed that carving out an existence as a musician was my only hope to bring me into the next day. During a season of feeling really depressed, I made attempts at writing goodbye letters, but I couldn’t finish them. As I would write out my story, I sank deeper into depression. I made a pact with myself that if I was not a successful musician by the time I was twenty-two years old, I would end it.

Shortly afterwards, by God’s grace, I came to know Jesus when I was twenty years old. He showed me that I was accepted in the Beloved. I had life, meaning, peace, and especially, hope. As a musician I had a new song in my heart. As soon as I became a Christian, I was burdened to reach the lost and rejected. By virtue of my lifestyle and the company I kept, I knew lots of people who had similar stories as mine. Some took their own lives, some had them taken. I wanted to reach them all with the gospel through music.

Never Ending Stories

Throughout my years I have personally known others who have attempted and succeeded at suicide. The memories that haunt me the most involve two young men I once knew from my years as a youth leader. The first one was a pastor’s kid who felt more pain than what his father was willing to take seriously. In a moment of desperation, he threw himself off of a bridge with a note in his pocket. The other young man was a grandson of a pastor. Although he knew how to debate theology, but he did not know how to deal with the pain in his life. He finally threw himself to the bottom of a lake with cement blocks tied to his feet. It was devastating to everyone who knew and loved him. You wonder how you missed the signs—and there were signs. As a youth director, you feel failure, guilt, and shame. You question if you should even be in ministry.

Epidemic in Native America

Today Regina and I are striving to reach Native America. Suicide rates among our Native neighbors are the highest in this country — as much as two times higher than the national average. On some reservations, such as the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, the numbers are even higher, especially among the youth. It is an epidemic with seemingly no end in sight. Read more about Pine Ridge here.

But There is Hope

Humanly speaking, there are many things that can be done to prevent this, but ultimately, it is only the saving power of Jesus that can breathe life back into a person. True hope awaits all who call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. We want to see the life giving message of the gospel to reach every corner of Indian Country. We want to see the hopeless, abused, and rejected come to Jesus who is mighty to save.

We have accepted a call from the Mokahum Ministry Center in Cass Lake, MN. Mokahum is a place where Native American and First Nations Christians receive personal discipleship and leadership training that they need serve the Lord in their communities. We invite you to help us train up Native American and First Nations people to serve among their own people who have given up all hope. Please pray for Native America. Please consider partnering with us. Click here to learn how you can Give.

Like this:

Christmas is coming! Black Friday came and went and Cyber Monday began on Sunday. The retailers are beckoning you with deals that will be impossible to pass up. Let me tell you a secret: they want your money. And not only retailers, but everyone else, too. Right now presidential candidates are on the campaign trail receiving millions of dollars to advance their bid for the highest office in the land. They are asking, and they are receiving.

Just this past weekend, with no consideration for me and my Saturday rituals, PBS interrupted their (my!) usual programming in order to raise money. Imagine that! They’re pushing for a strong fiscal finish by the end of the year with your tax-deductible gift. As much as I love watching This Old House every week, I didn’t make “that call” to continue receiving that “quality programming.” But I admit they were offering some really cool appreciation gifts: DVDs, special club membership status with all the benefits, etc. You know the spiel.

Campaigning for the Kingdom

Likewise Christian ministries do the same thing. You know, ask for money? And there is nothing wrong with that. They need money to run their ministries that provide us with those edifying goods, services, and well…ministry. Aside from selling products, a common strategy for ministries to get money is to offer free stuff. Just call the toll-free number, give your name, address, and phone number and receive your free gift. Shortly afterwards, you will receive an appeal letter and follow-up phone call asking if you would like to partner with the ministry. Many of your favorite ministries have a whole team of callers dialing up prospective ministry partners. Again, nothing wrong with that. That’s just how it works…and it does work.

Et Tu Reginae?

So what about us? We don’t have a radio show or podcast. We don’t have a catalog full of various teaching media. No national or regional conferences. What we do will never be available for public consumption. We are missionaries. We are the night callers. We raise our funds by asking people like you to support us so we can go to minister to other people. Aside from chocolates at our display table, you don’t get free stuff, only the satisfaction of giving so others can benefit. *Full disclosure, we gave away free DVDs at a TGC conference once, but not much response.

Welcome to My Dream World!

Classic scene from The Truman Show (1988)

I remember a couple of years ago when I had a conversation with someone about our decision to go to the mission field. With all sincerity, he proceeded to tell me how bad the economy was, that I was not a fundraiser, and how I was living in a dream world. The funny thing was, he was right on all three counts. It’s true, the economy is bad, I am not a “fundraiser,” and yes, I am dreaming.

I know that the economy is not what we want it to be, but I also know that next Saturday morning, like always, I will be watching my favorite shows on PBS. People will be buying their designer coffee at a local coffee shop. Next November we will have a new president-elect promising to turn the economy around, and our favorite ministries will be doing what they always do. They will all get their funding.

As you read this, I hope you will consider dreaming with us and supporting this missionary family. Help us answer our call to serve Native America at the Mokahum Ministry Center in Cass Lake, MN. You don’t have to give a lot, just something regular we can count on. We hope you would dare to dream with us and see the glory of God displayed in Native America.

To help us get to the mission field and stay there, please visit our Giving page here.

Year-end gifts are great, but to learn how best to give, please read Fair Winds.

We just got back after a wonderful weekend in Cherokee. We were asked to march in the Cherokee Christmas parade. Norm Dunkin and the gang from Carriage Lane Presbyterian who have been marching in the parade for many years extended the invitation to us last week and we jumped at the opportunity. They have been such a dedicated church committed to ministering to the people of Cherokee for two decades.

Looking for Our Replacements

As fun as it was to romp around in a silly costume, there was a very serious side to it. We were able to see the faces and meet more of the people we want to reach with the gospel. As I handed out candy and souvenirs to the little children, I wondered if any them would be part of the church we are looking to plant. I was looking for my replacement who would one day be a leader in the church and raise up others for the spreading of the gospel throughout all of Native America. Will any of those young boys grow up to be elders, pastors, youth leaders, or missionaries? Are any of those little girls going to become a Sunday school teacher one day, or maybe even a missionary like Tammy Jackson (MTW missionary to Cherokee and Lummi)? We can only wonder, but the Lord knows.

Regina and Shiah

While in Cherokee we met with our fellow missionaries, Scott and Ruth Hill, as well as Norm Dunkin. We were able to dream, plan, and pray about what we hope the Lord would do on the reservation — a very productive and encouraging time.

We also had an opportunity to present ourselves during Sunday school at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Sylva, NC. We cannot recommend that church enough to anyone in that region looking for a great church — fine preaching and excellent music, and a great bunch of folks. Pastor Philip Sealy and his wife, Lori, really know how to show hospitality, too.

Regina with dear friends, Whitney and little Kailyana

Giving Update

Over the last couple of days, some very significant gifts came in for which we are thankful. We also just got word of another church supporting us as well, although we are not sure of the amount just yet. But right now we know we are at 32.5% of pledged regular giving. Pray we get passed 50% before year’s end.

Norm and Blue (Ryan)

Rivercam Sham

We want to apologize to any of you who tuned into the Rivercam Saturday. We were told by a lady at the visitor center that it was turned off. We searched for it anyway after the parade in the dark. Although there were not enough votes for me to get into the water (thank the Lord!), we had something special planned, but it did not work out.

Last Words

It was a bitter/sweet time we had in Cherokee. The trip was out of the blue, but it turned out to be such a great blessing. We long to be the there and minister among the Cherokee full-time. There is so much to do. Please help us get there. Please visit our Five Things You Can Do to learn about how you can get us there.

Where are we financially?
Currently we are a little over 30% of our pledged regular giving, although more is coming per month in the form of one-time gifts. We need 100% before we can get to Cherokee. Only 70% more to go! Please pray with us that we get to more than 50% by year’s end.

End of the Year Giving
“Sleigh Bells” are already ringing in the malls heralding the encroaching Christmas shopping season. As much as we complain, we eagerly look for the sales. If you are the average consumer in the U.S., then you are projected to spend around $700 on Christmas gifts this year, perhaps in November alone. Before we are consumed by the holiday rush, please consider making a year-end gift to our mission that we may further the Kingdom Jesus was sent to establish.

Regular giving is essential, but we also need one-time gifts to cover additional costs. We need to raise approximately $15,000 for CCMI (Cross-Cultural Ministry Internship). This is a month-long training experience in New York City for the whole Lennox family, which we must go through before we can serve in Cherokee.

Pledge Now, Give Later
You may pledge now and give later when we actually get to Cherokee, but please remember that without pledges, we don’t get there at all. Many folks are already giving, which helps us now, but if you would like to give, but can’t right now, you can still pledge for the future. Please contact us with any questions about that.

All for His Kingdom,

The Lennoxes

Above is an excerpt from November issue of Lennox Letters newsletter. See it here. Click here to SUBSCRIBE.